Let’s be honest.

Most people don’t realise how much sugar they’re drinking.

You might feel like you’re eating “quite healthy”… but if your daily drinks include a full fat coke, a caramel latte, and the occasional energy drink, your sugar intake could quietly be doing the heavy lifting.

The good news?
You don’t need to give up flavour. You just need smarter swaps.

Here are 7 high-sugar drinks in the UK to cut back on and what to drink instead.

1. Full Fat Coca-Cola (and other regular fizzy drinks)

Sugar per 330ml can: around 35g
That’s roughly 9 teaspoons of sugar.

A single can of regular Coke already puts you at or above the NHS recommended daily sugar intake for adults (30g).

It’s easy to drink in minutes and even easier to have more than one.

If you like the fizz, you don’t need to ditch it, just switch it.

What to drink instead:

• Sparkling water with fresh lime
  
• Flavoured sparkling water with no added sugar
• Sugar-free drinks with green tea extract and added vitamins

2. Monster Energy (Original) or Red Bull (Original)

Sugar per 500ml can of Monster: around 55g
That’s nearly 14 teaspoons of sugar in one go.

Energy drinks are some of the most common high-sugar drinks in the UK, especially among students and young professionals.

Yes, they wake you up.
No, your energy crash later isn’t random.

You want energy, not a spike and crash cycle.

What to drink instead:

• Green tea (natural caffeine, no sugar)
• Sugar-free electrolyte drinks
• Functional drinks with B vitamins and green tea extract

3. Innocent Smoothie (large bottle)

Sugar per 750ml bottle: around 45 - 50g (naturally occurring)

Smoothies sound healthy, and they can be, but large shop-bought bottles often contain the sugar equivalent of multiple pieces of fruit blended together.

Drinking fruit is not the same as eating fruit.

What to drink instead:

• A smaller smoothie portion
• Water + whole fruit
• Unsweetened iced tea

4. Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino (Grande)

Sugar: around 45g

That’s more sugar than a Krispy Kreme doughnut.

These drinks are more dessert than coffee. Especially when syrups, whipped cream and sweetened milk are involved.

You can still have something fun. Just not every day.

What to drink instead:

• Iced Americano
• Cold brew without syrup
• A flavoured drink using sugar free syrups

5. Traditional Milk Bubble Tea (Full Sweetness)

Many high street bubble tea shops serve drinks containing:

• Sweetened milk tea
• Fructose (sugar syrup)
• Tapioca pearls soaked in brown sugar

Total sugar: often 20 - 50g per cup

We love bubble tea (obviously). But let’s be real, most traditional versions are one of the biggest sugary drinks in the UK right now.

What to drink instead:

• Bubble tea without added sugar
• Fruit tea with popping boba (no syrup)
• Ready-to-drink bubble tea with controlled sugar level)

Not all bubble tea is equal.

There are now low sugar bubble tea options in the UK designed for people who want the fun without the overload.

6. Tropicana Original Orange Juice (250ml glass)

Sugar: around 22g per glass

It’s 100% juice but that still means concentrated sugar without fibre.

Would you eat 3 - 4 oranges in one sitting? Probably not.

What to drink instead:

• Dilute juice with water
• Eat whole fruit instead
• Flavoured green tea drinks without added sugar

Juice isn’t evil. Just don’t treat it like water.

7. Lipton Peach Iced Tea

Sugar: around 18 - 30g per bottle (depending on size)

It sounds light. It looks refreshing.
But many bottled iced teas are loaded with added sugar.

Always check the label.

What to drink instead:

• Brew your own iced tea
• Sugar-free iced tea
• Vitamin-enriched drinks with no added sugar
  

The UK is seeing more demand for drinks without added sugar, but you still have to look closely.

Final Thoughts